Catamenial appliance



Y- 1932- M. c. NORTON CATAMENIAL APPLIANCE Filed 001:. 6, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l A llomey ly 2- M. c. NORTON CATAMENIA APPLIANCE Filed Oct. 6. 1930 2 ShQGtS-Sheet 2 Mm CI/VE/Pm/M A llorney Patented July 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MARY C. NORTON, OI

GATAMENIAL Application filed October 6,

This invention relates to improvements in catamenial devices, and has particular reference to a sanitary napkin holder and abdominal support for women.

5 The main feature of the invention is to provide a device by which a sanitary napkin may be comfortably and securely positioned upon a wearer without the use of safety pins, clasps and other like fastening devices and to afford 1) adequate abdominal support.

Another feature is the provision of a sanitary napkin holder which will be found exceptionally useful by women bothin the performance of their usual routine of work, as

well as in their indulgence in athletics, as the napkin is securely held in position against shifting irrespective of the natural body movements of the wearer and affords the desired abdominal support, thus assuring oomfort and peace of mind under all circumstances.

A further object is to construct an inexpensive device of the above kind which is accomplished by the folding and stitching of a single strip of elastic webbing to produce a waist encircling band and depending thigh loops, the said loops being crossed and stitched to provide a pouch or support for a sanitary napkin, while the free ends extend- LG ing upward and forward and being secured to the opposite side of each other to form a double abdominal waist band.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the certain novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of my catamenial device in an applied position upon a wearer.

Figure 2 is arear elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the device per se.

Figure 4 is a top plan view.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevational o new.

conona, NEW YORK APPLIANCE 1930. Serial No. 486,774.

Figure 6 is a detail transverse sectional view on the line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary front elevational View showing the manner in which the waist encircling band is produced by overlapping the material at the front thereof.

Figure 8 is a front-elevational view of a modified form of my invention, and showing the same in an applied position.

Figure 9 is a rear elevational view of the same.

Figure 10 is a perspective View of the device per se.

Figure 11 is a detail horizontal sectional view on the line 11"11 of Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, and particularly to Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, the numeral 10 designates asingle strip of elastic webbing which is of a predetermined length depending upon the size of the device to be constructed. The strip of elastic webbing 10 is curved approximately midway between its ends to produce a belt or waist encircling band 11, and which is accomplished by lapping the ends of the webbing at the front, as best seen in Figure 7 of the drawings, and thence folding the ends of the webbing at reverse angles as indicated by the numeral 12. The lapped portions of the webbin and the folded portions are secured 'toget er by stitching 13. The webbing after'being folded at 12 is carried downward at the front, the ends being disposed in converging relation until they reach a point just below the front of the belt where they cross as at 14. Instead of crossing the webbing at the same angle as that from which it extends from the waist encircling band, I prefer to change the angle in order to widen the point of crossing and so as to cause the crossed portions to extend from front to rear asbest seen in Figures 5 and 4 of the drawings. The crossed portions of the webbing are secured together by stitching 15, and when so stitched the crossed portion is caused to assume a pouch formation as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. In other words the crossed portion curves in a transverse direction and is adapted to support a sanitary napkin'in position upon the wearer, the napkin being shown in dot and dash lies in Figure 6 and designated by the reference character 16. After crossing, the ends of the elastic webbing are carried up and secured to the waist encircling band 11 at opposite sides thereof by stitching 17. It

will therefore be seen that the crossed ends of the elastic webbing constituting thigh loop members 18 through which the thighs of the wearer pass when the device is in a worn position.

In use, the sanitary napkin 16 is placed upon the crossed portions 14: which constitute the pouch and due to the elastic nature of the device, the napkin will be securely held in the correct position and prevented from accidental shifting irrespective of the body movement of the wearer. No pins or clasps are necessary for securing the napkin in position as the pouch is sufficient to comfortably retain the same in place. In Figures 8 to 11 inclusive, 1 have shown a slightly modified form of my invention in which the construction is substantially similar to that shown in the preferred form, and like reference characters refer to like parts. However, in the modification, the length of the elastic webbing is increased and-instead of securing the free-end of the elastic webbing to the waist encircling band, the said ends are brought upwardly and thence forwardly into overlapping engagement as indicated at 19, the said overlapping ends being stitched as at 20. The overlapping portion of the free ends of the elastic webbing are secured to the top front edge of the waist encircling band 11, by stitching 21, thus it will be seen that the free ends of the webbing coact with the waist encircling band to increase the width of the band at the front and this increased width serves as an abdominal support for the wearer. In order that the free ends of the webbingmay be brought into overlapping engagement at the front of the waist band, it is necessary for the ends to overlap the waist band at the sides and this overlapping serves to confine the hips of the wearer to assist in embodying a grace= ful form to the body.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a catamenial'device which may be worn by women to supporta sanitary napkin in a comfortable and safe manner without the aid of pins or other types of fastening devices.

The material from which the device is constructed is of a washable nature in order that the same may be kept in a clean and sanitary condition at all times.

While I have shown and described what I deem to be the most desirable embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various changes in construction may be resorted to if desired, and I do not wish to limit myself to the exact details of construction herein set forth, nor to anything less than 1,eee,22o

tending downwardly in convergin relation.

and crossed, the free ends of said we bing extending up and being secured together at and to the top edge of the waist encircling band at the front of said band.

2. A catamenial appliance comprising a single length of elastic webbin the middle portion of said webbing being ormed into a Waist encircling band by looping the same and overlapping the webbing'centrally at the front thereof, the ends of the webbing bein folded at reversed angles and at equal spaced distances from the front center of the waist encircling band, the folded portions being stitched to the left portions of the waist encircling band, the ends being brought down in converging relation and crossed at'an angle of a degree less than the converging angularity of the'same, the extreme'free ends of the webbing being extended rearwardly and upwardly and fixedly. secured to the waist encircling band to provide side loo s, the crossed portions extending rearwar ly and being stitched together to provide a forwardly and rearwardly extending pouch for a sanitary pad in a worn position upon a wearer.

In testimony whereof I affix m signature.

' I MARY C. ORTON. 

